News and press releases

The OSCE Gender Section organized two two-day training workshops for representatives of civil society groups in Armenia and Moldova on how to set up mentor networks on 30 June- 1 July2017 in Yerevan and on 10- 11 July 2017 in Chisinau. The mentor networks are a powerful tool for empowering women and removing socio-economic barriers to their full participation in public life...

A team of election experts from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) visited Washington D.C. from 10 to 12 July 2017 to present the final report of the ODIHR election observation mission for the 8 November 2016 United States general elections.

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in both Donetsk and Luhansk regions compared with the previous reporting period. At a government checkpoint near Novotoshkivske, the Mission observed a bullet hole in a Ukrainian Armed Forces vehicle that may have been caused by gunfire shortly beforehand. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Donetsk and Luhansk cities and observed damage from shelling in Zolote-4. It continued monitoring the disengagement areas; the Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including Mineralne.* The SMM recorded ceasefire violations in the Zolote disengagement area. It continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Mykhailivka-Almazna high-voltage power lines near Pervomaisk. The SMM visited two border areas not under government control in Donetsk region. In Kyiv the Mission followed up on reports of an incident at a café and monitored four protests...

The SMM recorded fewer ceasefire violations in Donetsk region and a significant increase in ceasefire violations in Luhansk region compared with the previous 24 hours. The Mission followed up on reports of civilian casualties in Zaitseve and observed a fresh impact site in residential areas of Zolote-5. The SMM continued monitoring the disengagement areas and observed a calm situation. The Mission’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including to Nova Marivka.* It continued to facilitate and monitor repairs to the Mykhailivka-Almazna high-voltage power lines near Pervomaisk. The SMM visited one border area not under government control in Donetsk region. In Kyiv the Mission monitored a march by 200-250 participants...

MAUERBACH, Austria, 11 July 2017 – Dialogue, co-operation and compromise are crucial to addressing the security challenges facing Europe, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said today at an informal meeting of the foreign ministers of the OSCE’s participating States in Mauerbach, on the outskirts of Vienna...

Between the evenings of 7 and 8 July the SMM recorded more ceasefire violations, including more explosions in Donetsk region compared with the previous reporting period, and no explosions in Luhansk region. Between the evenings of 8 and 9 July the Mission recorded fewer ceasefire violations, including no explosions in Luhansk region, though more explosions in Donetsk region, compared with the previous 24 hours. The SMM assessed a fresh impact site in Pisky. The Mission continued monitoring the disengagement areas; it recorded ceasefire violations near the Zolote disengagement area and saw a white signal flare fired south of the Stanytsia Luhanska bridge. The SMM’s access remained restricted there and elsewhere, including to a heavy weapons holding area. The Mission observed weapons in violation of withdrawal lines near Novookhtyrka. It visited two border areas not controlled by the Government in Luhansk region...

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) final report  on Armenia’s 2 April 2017 parliamentary elections noted that fundamental freedoms were generally respected and candidates were able to campaign without restrictions. Noting an overall lack of public trust in the